KOHAT: The government has been criticised for setting up a male-only shelter home in Kohat district, thus ignoring the numerous destitute women forced to make the shrine of Hazrat Haji Bahadar as their abode, braving the severe weather conditions.

Yasmeen, 70, said after having expelled from her own house by her sons after they got married, she used to visit the shrine every morning to collect alms to buy food and then leave for her rented house in Khattak Colony. “Being a female I needed protection and shelter, so I rented a house on my own where I cook food and sleep,” she added.

Gharsanga, a destitute woman from Bannu district, said she had a disabled son, who owned a handcart but hardly earned a living. So, she said she had to help him run the kitchen and pay for the rented house.

Both the women said the government and the NGOs had ignored them while setting up shelter homes.

Jehanzeb Jani, a social worker, said no serious attempt had been made to construct a permanent shelter home for the homeless women. He admitted that it was social responsibility of all to help the destitute people, particularly women.

Esar Ali Bangash, another social activist, said there was no record of the endowment fund being collected from the visitors of the tomb. He alleged that the money so collected was pocketed by the members of an influential family called Miankhels.

Meanwhile, Naveed Khan, in-charge of the newly-established shelter home, told Dawn that there was no such facility for homeless women in the district.

He said the shelter home was set up in an emergency on the orders of the prime minister and the chief minister, therefore, it had no toilets, no kitchen, no TV lounge.

DC VISITS JAIL: Deputy commissioner Matiullah Khattak on Friday visited the prison, inspected its various barracks, the women section and the kitchen.

He directed the jail superintendent to strictly follow the manual, provide the inmates with neat and clean environment, fresh food, education, games and health facilities. He said the prisoners should be at ease while performing prayers and meeting with visitors.

Meanwhile, the deputy commissioner also chaired a meeting to review post-polio campaign scenario and ordered the stakeholders to ensure that no child was skipped in the immunisation drives.

He also chaired a land requisition committee meeting and fixed market rates for five areas. He directed the officials to implement the agreed rates strictly.

Published in Dawn, January 11th, 2020